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A prostrate, groundcover-type shrub from southern Western Australia that spreads to about 2 m wide, with yellow spring flower spikes. It needs full sun and very well-drained, sandy soil.
Banksia petiolaris is a rare species of flowering plant in the family Proteaceae native to Western Australia, where it is found in sandy soils in the south coastal regions from Munglinup east to Israelite Bay. It was first described by Victorian state botanist Ferdinand von Mueller in 1864, and no subspecies are recognised. B. petiolaris is one of several closely related species that will all grow as prostrate shrubs, with horizontal stems and thick, leathery upright leaves. Those of this species can be viable for up to 13 years—the longest-lived of any flowering plant recorded. It bears yellow cylindrical flower spikes, known as inflorescences, up to 16 cm (6+1⁄4 in) high in spring. As the spikes age, they turn grey and develop up to 20 woody seed pods, known as follicles, each.
Insects such as bees, wasps and even ants can pollinate the flowers. B.
B. petiolaris is grown fairly commonly in Australian gardens, making an attractive prostrate groundcover or rockery plant. It can also be grown on embankments to reduce soil erosion. Although somewhat resistant to dieback, it does require a well-drained soil, preferably fairly sandy. Like other banksias, it grows best in full sun. It is tolerant of alkaline soils, with one cultivated specimen recorded tolerating a pH of 9.5. Seeds do not require any treatment, and take about 18 to 49 days to germinate.
Endemic to Western Australia, Banksia petiolaris is found near the state's south coast from the vicinity of Munglinup east to Israelite Bay, concentrated in two disjunct ranges—an eastern one around Cape Arid National Park, and western one east of Scaddan. It is found in white sandy soils in kwongan or mallee heathland, but sometimes occurs with the taller B. speciosa. It is often locally common, with many populations over 100 plants in size.
Heath-leaf banksia · Coast banksia · Banksia littoralis · Silver banksia · Menzie's Banksia · Acorn Banksia · Creeping Banksia · Broadleaf Banksia · Banksia seminuda · Banksia serrata · Parrot Bush · Banksia spinulosa var. collina
Text excerpted from the Wikipedia article Banksia petiolaris by its contributors, under CC BY-SA 4.0; the excerpts and the care summary drawn from them are shared under the same licence.
The care summary was written by AI (Claude, Anthropic) from the sources on this page, with general growing knowledge where they are silent. Check before relying on it.
Life form, climate and native range: World Checklist of Vascular Plants, Royal Botanic Gardens, Kew (CC BY 3.0), reformatted; see Plants of the World Online.
